creative, fun, clever, romantic, heartwarming and DIY - great ideas for special touches at your wedding

Google Analytics tracking code

TO CREATE YOUR OWN WEDDING MAGIC LET YOUR WEDDING MATCH YOUR STYLE

TO CREATE YOUR OWN WEDDING MAGIC LET YOUR WEDDING MATCH YOUR STYLE. Chris and Kyle are big Dr. Who fans and the TARDIS was on the guest book canvas that was to be framed after the wedding. (photo by Hannah Woodard Photography)

CELEBRATING THE HEART AND CREATIVITY IN WEDDINGS

Welcome! This site is a tribute to my many wedding couples who have created unique and beautiful surroundings for their weddings. Their creativity and ingenuity reflected their personalities and together we have often created new ways to modernize old traditions.

If you are looking for a minister for your wedding in the Triangle area of Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill, NC, contact me for a free consultation. Together we can create a ceremony that reflects your love, your personality and your dreams for your future.

Love, laughter, companionship, fun. This pretty well sums up this happy couple.

When I met them, I was so taken with the kind of ceremony they had in mind. It was going to be simple, traditional-ish, magical and with a lot of personality thrown in for good measure. I could tell by the twinkles in both their eyes that they were going to have a fun celebration and it certainly was!

For starters, they entered together down the aisle, showing the partnership they have been from the very beginning of their relationship.

Blake serenaded Angela during the ceremony with Feels Like Home, by Randy Newman, because it was the song he had made sure was playing in the background when he proposed to her. He says that song has always made him think of how he feels about Angela.

He was accompanied by his friends, Erik and Carl, on guitar and keyboard and Angela and all of us were very touched. (Blake has a great voice, by the way. He and his friends are part of the local band, River City Ransom. )

For this very happy celebration, they chose the lovely natural setting of the White Garden at JC Raulston Arboretum. The ceremony took place in front of the pretty white gazebo that was glowing in the sunshine and it became the perfect backdrop for the relaxed ceremony they had put together.

They had written their own vows to read to each other

and also included a Wine Box ceremony, with a special box they had made. Each had written secret love letters to the other and during the ceremony they placed them into the box, along with photos from their relationship and a bottle of wine. On their fifth anniversary they plan to celebrate by opening the box, reading the letters and looking at all the photos. What a fun way to celebrate your love!

After the Wine Box ceremony, Blake’s sister, Lauren, did a reading about a dragon wedding that had been written by Blake’s mom. It was perfect for the occasion and even more so because Lauren and his mom had surprised them with this poem. It was a big hit with everyone and the photographer caught this photo of Angela and Blake, standing by the Wine Box, enjoying Lauren’s reading.

Once the wedding was over, the happy couple joined the guests for a bit and then went off for some fun photos with their excellent photographer, Heather, of ShugarShots Photography. Pretty much all of the photos used here are Heather’s. (Thanks, Heather.) I will be looking forward to our working together again soon. Heather has a great personality and she was able to catch the lively spirit of the festivities in all her photos.

Then it was time for the celebration to swing into high gear and it was off to Blake’s family’s property for the rest of the night. There were lots of colorful DIY touches, like colorful table settings, hand made flowers, and vases from interesting jars.

They had even set up their own photo corner with lots of props for their guests to get creative - and did they ever. The little kid in everyone came out smiling!

Someone made special champagne flutes for Angela and Blake, showing their professions - singer (Blake) and nurse (Angela). How cute is that!

One of my favorite photos from the day is this one of Angela and Blake. (Taken by Heather, of course.) It captures them perfectly - love and laughter personified. These two are sure to have a great, fun life together... there is no doubt!

Love, laughter, companionship, fun. This pretty well sums up this happy couple.

When I met them, I was so taken with the kind of ceremony they had in mind. It was going to be simple, traditional-ish, magical and with a lot of personality thrown in for good measure. I could tell by the twinkles in both their eyes that they were going to have a fun celebration and it certainly was!

For starters, they entered together down the aisle, showing the partnership they have been from the very beginning of their relationship.

Blake serenaded Angela during the ceremony with Feels Like Home, by Randy Newman, because it was the song he had made sure was playing in the background when he proposed to her. He says that song has always made him think of how he feels about Angela.

He was accompanied by his friends, Erik and Carl, on guitar and keyboard and Angela and all of us were very touched. (Blake has a great voice, by the way. He and his friends are part of the local band, River City Ransom. )

For this very happy celebration, they chose the lovely natural setting of the White Garden at JC Raulston Arboretum. The ceremony took place in front of the pretty white gazebo that was glowing in the sunshine and it became the perfect backdrop for the relaxed ceremony they had put together.

They had written their own vows to read to each other

and also included a Wine Box ceremony, with a special box they had made. Each had written secret love letters to the other and during the ceremony they placed them into the box, along with photos from their relationship and a bottle of wine. On their fifth anniversary they plan to celebrate by opening the box, reading the letters and looking at all the photos. What a fun way to celebrate your love!

After the Wine Box ceremony, Blake’s sister, Lauren, did a reading about a dragon wedding that had been written by Blake’s mom. It was perfect for the occasion and even more so because Lauren and his mom had surprised them with this poem. It was a big hit with everyone and the photographer caught this photo of Angela and Blake, standing by the Wine Box, enjoying Lauren’s reading.

Once the wedding was over, the happy couple joined the guests for a bit and then went off for some fun photos with their excellent photographer, Heather, of ShugarShots Photography. Pretty much all of the photos used here are Heather’s. (Thanks, Heather.) I will be looking forward to our working together again soon. Heather has a great personality and she was able to catch the lively spirit of the festivities in all her photos.

Then it was time for the celebration to swing into high gear and it was off to Blake’s family’s property for the rest of the night. There were lots of colorful DIY touches, like colorful table settings, hand made flowers, and vases from interesting jars.

They had even set up their own photo corner with lots of props for their guests to get creative - and did they ever. The little kid in everyone came out smiling!

Someone made special champagne flutes for Angela and Blake, showing their professions - singer (Blake) and nurse (Angela). How cute is that!

One of my favorite photos from the day is this one of Angela and Blake. (Taken by Heather, of course.) It captures them perfectly - love and laughter personified. These two are sure to have a great, fun life together... there is no doubt!

With all your guests taking so many fun photos during your wedding preparations, showers, parties and gatherings, it can make for a lot of photos coming in from all over the place - but how to organize them?!

While reading today’s newsletter from Joe Bunn DJ Company, I came upon this great idea from Wed Pics. They have an app for Android and iPhones where your guests can use their smart phones to take photos at all your gatherings and parties, which are then immediately sent to an album you had set up before your events. Now everyone can contribute their photos and share in the fun of seeing all the other photos right away! Those with DSLR and point-and-shoot digital cameras can also easily upload their photos later with a computer, so all your guests’ photos will be in one online album for everyone to enjoy. Very neat, very easy and so much fun!

For those great candid shots you love but your photographer can’t be everywhere to catch, Wed Pics may have the answer. Head on over to their website and check it out.

With all your guests taking so many fun photos during your wedding preparations, showers, parties and gatherings, it can make for a lot of photos coming in from all over the place - but how to organize them?!

While reading today’s newsletter from Joe Bunn DJ Company, I came upon this great idea from Wed Pics. They have an app for Android and iPhones where your guests can use their smart phones to take photos at all your gatherings and parties, which are then immediately sent to an album you had set up before your events. Now everyone can contribute their photos and share in the fun of seeing all the other photos right away! Those with DSLR and point-and-shoot digital cameras can also easily upload their photos later with a computer, so all your guests’ photos will be in one online album for everyone to enjoy. Very neat, very easy and so much fun!

For those great candid shots you love but your photographer can’t be everywhere to catch, Wed Pics may have the answer. Head on over to their website and check it out.

When I met with Michelle and Tee, I was completely charmed by them. Michelle is a digital librarian and Tee is a grants administrator and although they are both very soft-spoken, their eyes give away their whimsical way of looking at the world. Michelle is a member of the nonprofit organization, Phoenix Landing, that shelters and finds homes for parrots and she and Tee now have three parrots of their own. Tee even got one of them to help him propose to Michelle. (Way to go, Jango!)

Did you notice Tee’s green bow tie and Michelle’s green sweater? They wanted a completely green wedding so all the wedding decorations were silk flowers, the wedding professionals and supplies were all local and the whole event had as small a footprint on the environment as they could manage. Tee even wore green tennies, which set off his tie nicely. (Michelle changed into black tennies for some of the photos.)

The wedding took place at St. Mark’s Chapel at The Mordecai House in Raleigh and that small little chapel was filled with family and friends who would not have missed this happy occasion for anything.

Since this was to be an Unwedding (as they called it), naturally it would be sort of traditional and sort of not. The “not” part came in with the ceremony music being performed by the guests on kazoos and maracas - to the immense delight of all the guests. Here is a link to a short video one of the guests posted of Michelle and Tee’s friend, Lori, coaching the guests before the wedding began on how to play the processional for the Bride’s entrance and the recessional music at the end for the newlyweds’ exit. Lori’s 15 year old son, Aiden, tried to keep everyone on tempo with his viola. What a hoot!

The look on that little guy’s face with the green maraca and kazoo says it all. Michelle and Tee wanted everyone to have a great time at their unwedding and it is obvious that everyone did.

Sometimes in weddings, flowers are presented to the moms as a surprise, but for Michelle and Tee, that wasn’t enough. They also wanted to honor their dads and here is a sweet photo of Tee pinning on his father’s boutonniere during the ceremony. Love the look on his dad’s face. Kudos to the photographer for catching that sweet moment.

After the wedding was over, everyone went outside for hugs and photos.

And if anyone thinks a wedding photographer’s job is all glamour, just check out their friend and photographer, Hide, propped in the tree, working to get his great shots.

While the photographs were going on, all the guests headed over to Natty Greene’s Pub and Brewing Company for the reception, where the Unwedding festivities moved into high gear. Want your guests to turn into happy kids immediately? Just put out some fun props and see what happens with the kids and the adults!

Many thanks to Hide Terada for some of the photos of Michelle and Tee and to Michelle’s sister, Megan, for many of the other photos. Megan is also a jewelry designer and Michelle was wearing a cute heart necklace Megan had made for her, with t & m engraved on it. (You can find more of Megan’s work at her website maggiekate.com)

Michelle and Tee, I hope you always keep your fun way of looking at the world and the pleasure you take in each other’s company. Your Unwedding was so perfect for you and I wish you all the joys and wonders the world can unfold in your lives.

When I met with Michelle and Tee, I was completely charmed by them. Michelle is a digital librarian and Tee is a grants administrator and although they are both very soft-spoken, their eyes give away their whimsical way of looking at the world. Michelle is a member of the nonprofit organization, Phoenix Landing, that shelters and finds homes for parrots and she and Tee now have three parrots of their own. Tee even got one of them to help him propose to Michelle. (Way to go, Jango!)

Did you notice Tee’s green bow tie and Michelle’s green sweater? They wanted a completely green wedding so all the wedding decorations were silk flowers, the wedding professionals and supplies were all local and the whole event had as small a footprint on the environment as they could manage. Tee even wore green tennies, which set off his tie nicely. (Michelle changed into black tennies for some of the photos.)

The wedding took place at St. Mark’s Chapel at The Mordecai House in Raleigh and that small little chapel was filled with family and friends who would not have missed this happy occasion for anything.

Since this was to be an Unwedding (as they called it), naturally it would be sort of traditional and sort of not. The “not” part came in with the ceremony music being performed by the guests on kazoos and maracas - to the immense delight of all the guests. Here is a link to a short video one of the guests posted of Michelle and Tee’s friend, Lori, coaching the guests before the wedding began on how to play the processional for the Bride’s entrance and the recessional music at the end for the newlyweds’ exit. Lori’s 15 year old son, Aiden, tried to keep everyone on tempo with his viola. What a hoot!

The look on that little guy’s face with the green maraca and kazoo says it all. Michelle and Tee wanted everyone to have a great time at their unwedding and it is obvious that everyone did.

Sometimes in weddings, flowers are presented to the moms as a surprise, but for Michelle and Tee, that wasn’t enough. They also wanted to honor their dads and here is a sweet photo of Tee pinning on his father’s boutonniere during the ceremony. Love the look on his dad’s face. Kudos to the photographer for catching that sweet moment.

After the wedding was over, everyone went outside for hugs and photos.

And if anyone thinks a wedding photographer’s job is all glamour, just check out their friend and photographer, Hide, propped in the tree, working to get his great shots.

While the photographs were going on, all the guests headed over to Natty Greene’s Pub and Brewing Company for the reception, where the Unwedding festivities moved into high gear. Want your guests to turn into happy kids immediately? Just put out some fun props and see what happens with the kids and the adults!

Many thanks to Hide Terada for some of the photos of Michelle and Tee and to Michelle’s sister, Megan, for many of the other photos. Megan is also a jewelry designer and Michelle was wearing a cute heart necklace Megan had made for her, with t & m engraved on it. (You can find more of Megan’s work at her website maggiekate.com)

Michelle and Tee, I hope you always keep your fun way of looking at the world and the pleasure you take in each other’s company. Your Unwedding was so perfect for you and I wish you all the joys and wonders the world can unfold in your lives.

One of the many fun things about traveling to do weddings is that my day can range from grand hotel ballrooms to churches, tiny chapels, back yards, local parks, quaint little B&Bs - pretty much anywhere one can hold a wedding. I love the variety this creates and the fun juxtaposition of locations.

On this particular day, as dusk was setting in and I had finished my other weddings, I hiked with Adrienne, Keith and Adrienne’s sister and brother-in-law into the woods at the Eno River to hold a sweet little wedding there. Adrienne and Keith had scouted the location earlier in the day and how they ever found it, I’ll never know. But then, their relationship began 20 years ago when they were river guides back in the day, so I guess their instincts are still spot on.

Here is a photo of Adrienne in her fun wedding dress and hat, standing by the sign at the trail head. We hiked from the parking area through the woods down to the river side. There, as we stood on a tiny hillock on the bank, just big enough for the three of us, Adrienne and Keith became husband and wife.

I love being out in Nature and my grandmother always used to say that God’s first temples were the trees. Standing on that river bank, you could feel Nature smiling all around us. It was a magical circle of completion; they started their relationship along a river and they married on the banks of another river. A perfect setting, if ever there was one.

Completing their wedding weekend, Adrienne and Keith stayed at the lovely Arrowhead Inn, in the quaint Carolina Log Cabin. Innkeepers, Gloria and Phil, are wonderful hosts and their inn is one of the hidden gems of Durham County. It, too, was the perfect place for Adrienne and Keith to celebrate their private wedding.

Adrienne and Keith, thank you again for including me in your very sweet wedding. It was a real treat to help you launch your married life in a location that was so perfect for your love story. May you have many more happy trails in your life together.

One of the many fun things about traveling to do weddings is that my day can range from grand hotel ballrooms to churches, tiny chapels, back yards, local parks, quaint little B&Bs - pretty much anywhere one can hold a wedding. I love the variety this creates and the fun juxtaposition of locations.

On this particular day, as dusk was setting in and I had finished my other weddings, I hiked with Adrienne, Keith and Adrienne’s sister and brother-in-law into the woods at the Eno River to hold a sweet little wedding there. Adrienne and Keith had scouted the location earlier in the day and how they ever found it, I’ll never know. But then, their relationship began 20 years ago when they were river guides back in the day, so I guess their instincts are still spot on.

Here is a photo of Adrienne in her fun wedding dress and hat, standing by the sign at the trail head. We hiked from the parking area through the woods down to the river side. There, as we stood on a tiny hillock on the bank, just big enough for the three of us, Adrienne and Keith became husband and wife.

I love being out in Nature and my grandmother always used to say that God’s first temples were the trees. Standing on that river bank, you could feel Nature smiling all around us. It was a magical circle of completion; they started their relationship along a river and they married on the banks of another river. A perfect setting, if ever there was one.

Completing their wedding weekend, Adrienne and Keith stayed at the lovely Arrowhead Inn, in the quaint Carolina Log Cabin. Innkeepers, Gloria and Phil, are wonderful hosts and their inn is one of the hidden gems of Durham County. It, too, was the perfect place for Adrienne and Keith to celebrate their private wedding.

Adrienne and Keith, thank you again for including me in your very sweet wedding. It was a real treat to help you launch your married life in a location that was so perfect for your love story. May you have many more happy trails in your life together.

SINCE 2010

SINCE 2012

SINCE 2015

THANK YOU!

I am so pleased to be included in the Couples’ Choice Awards at WeddingWire, the Best of Weddings Picks at The Knot, and to be recognized by The Knot as a Hall of Fame professional. Many thanks to everyone who took the time to put in kind words about me and my work. You are the reason I have received these awards and I thank you all very much.

Search This Blog

CONTACT REV. BARBARA LODGE

THE JOYS OF A WEDDING MINISTRY

I am an ordained Nondenominational minister who specializes in writing unique and personal ceremonies for weddings, vow renewals and christenings. I love the people I meet, the work I do and that I am always surrounded by love

In my 20+ years as a minister, I have delighted in watching the love between people and consider myself blessed to have been called to this ministry. Helping couples create ceremonies that suit their personalities and their lives has been a great joy and lots of fun.

There is no end to what the human spirit can create and it is life-affirming to be a part of the incredible excitement and happiness that weddings always bring.

For those of you whose weddings I have ministered, I thank you for the honor. And for those of you still planning your wedding, I hope the ideas you find here and the links to talented wedding professionals will help you create a wonderful day of your own.

For links to many other excellent wedding professionals with whom I’ve worked, visit the Resource Links page of my website.

A REUNION FOR REV. LODGE AND MEAGAN

I had married Meagan and Jeremy and a few years later Meagan was a Bridesmaid in the wedding of a friend she had referred to me. I love it when that happens!